After accumulating $108,713 in purse earnings and a lifetime mark of 1:50.2 on the pace, Joe Joe Joe made his fourth lifetime start on the trot at Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Saturday, March 27 and did it in world-record setting fashion.
With driver, trainer and owner Jesse Yoder in the bike, Joe Joe Joe is now the fastest double-gaited Standardbred ever after an impressive 1:54.4 score in a conditioned trot. With an established mark of 1:50.2 on the pace and now a combined mark of 3:45.1, Joe Joe Joe eclipsed the previous World Record of 3:45.2 held by the Argentinian bred Chucaro Ahijuna.
Joe Joe Joe is a seven-year-old gelding sired by Roll With Joe who raced on the pace for five seasons until he was sidelined by an injury in late 2020.
“I raced him on the pace last year until I gave him some time off after a minor injury,” Yoder said. “Once I started bringing him back, I noticed how much he loved to trot. He really loves to trot—he actually hates to pace. I think it’s the hopples he doesn’t like but he is just much happier when he’s trotting.”
Yoder trained Joe Joe Joe at his home track in Bell, Fla. and once he was ready to go, ventured to Pompano Park for his career debut on the trot. Joe Joe Joe made three starts at Pompano, winning his most recent in 1:56.1.
“He just kept getting better and better,” Yoder said. “Once he won at Pompano, I started looking into it and realized we had a shot at the world record.”
Yoder and his family train a large stable in Florida during the winter months and then venture to Hoosier Park in the summer. The Yoder family is responsible for top trotters like millionaire Natural Herbie and world champion Woodside Charm.
“I was going to stay in Florida and just send him up here to race with my brother,” Yoder said. “I wanted to keep him on a big track but I decided at the last minute to come up, I wanted to get it. I wanted to be the one to get the world record with him if he was going to get it.”
Yoder wasted no time and sent Joe Joe Joe away from the gate to grab the early lead. The pair dictated early fractions of :28.1 and :57.1 before getting down to business.
Reaching the three-quarters in 1:26, Joe Joe Joe was on top by four lengths and began to draw away from his competitors. Finishing under a hand drive from Yoder, Joe Joe Joe coasted to the wire and finished 10-and-three-quarter lengths in front. Sent the heavy betting favourite, Joe Joe Joe returned $3.60 to his backers at the betting windows.
“I wasn’t sure if he would get it tonight, I just wanted him to be comfortable,” Yoder noted. “He did it all on his own. It is pretty cool training a world record holder.”
Joe Joe Joe has now won two of his four lifetime starts on the trot while amassing $7,000 in purse earnings.
Live racing will continue at Harrah’s Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Thursday, April 1 with a 14-race card. With a daily post time of 6:30 p.m. (EDT), live racing at Harrah’s Hoosier Park will be conducted through Dec. 4.
(Harrah's Hoosier Park)